1979: February 3-9

1 February 2009

Cover: Rod Stewart

The $1m newsman is as hard as nails! Brian Naylor, former long-time newsreader for HSV7 in Melbourne, was last year subject of the biggest takeover bid in the business when he was signed up by arch rival GTV9 to front National Nine News. With more than 20 years at Seven behind him, Naylor is reluctant to confirm exactly how much he was paid to come over to GTV but $1 million has been reported in various circles – and both channels GTV9 and ATV0 have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in previous years to get viewers to switch over from Seven’s top-rating news, without much luck. GTV9’s last option was to buy Naylor from Seven. News director John Sorell had tried once before but Naylor didn’t bite. But then five months ago GTV9 was faced with losing newsreader Eric Pearce to semi-retirement and Sorell knew that Naylor’s contract was coming up for renewal at Seven, so Sorell kept his eye on the calendar and when the time was right managed to make a successful offer.

Nationwide – ‘a unique mix’ABC‘s new current affairs program, Nationwide, will be “a unique mix of national and local current affairs,” according to executive producer John Penlington. The new program, which replaces the long-running This Day Tonight, begins on ABC on 19 February and will screen Monday to Thursday nights. Former Adelaide TDT host Clive Hale (pictured) will present Nationwide from Sydney and will be joined by Canberra correspondent Richard Carleton and investigative reporters Paul Griffiths and Andrew Olle. The program will also have local segments compiled in each state capital to include stories of local interest.

Many happy returns for Dorrie Director Peter Williams was a schoolboy when he first saw Pat McDonald (pictured) perform in stage play The Cell in Canberra. The young Williams went backstage after the show to meet McDonald and the rest of the cast. Now Williams will be directing McDonald as she takes over from Ruth Cracknell in the stage comedy Bedroom Farce which is about to tour Australia. Bedroom Farce marks McDonald’s return to the stage after six years on TV as dotty pensioner Dorrie Evans in Number 96. McDonald, whose career started in theatre, told TV Times she loves working on stage but would like to do another TV series if the public would accept her as someone other than Dorrie.

Briefly…John Bond, winner of ABC‘s first Mastermind series, is “rather scared” at the prospect of facing Mastermind winners from Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Nigeria in a Mastermind International special to be taped this week at BBC in London. The program will air in Australia later this month on ABC.

American-born Evie Hayes has returned from her annual trip back to the home country to start her eighth year as an adjudicator on Young Talent Time, and despite reports to the contrary, has no thoughts of moving from her adopted home of Melbourne.

Rolf Harris has returned to his home town of Perth to appear in a televised concert to commemorate Western Australia’s 150th anniversary. The 49-year-old entertainer, now based in the UK, has also been negotiating with ABC to televise a concert that he is appearing in with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in May.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:“So Pensioner, you think you have it bad in Canberra (Viewpoint, 6 January 1979). Here in Darwin, TV starts at 5.30pm-6.00pm and finishes at 11.30pm. And that’s on a late night! At least Canberra TV starts at midday with The Mike Walsh Show. We don’t even get it – or The Sullivans. One program here is The Cisco Kid made in the 1950s. It’s about time it was put in moth balls. The movies are third rate.” C. Kidd, NT.

“I’m a great fan of horror films and I think there should be one or two scary movies a week, at early times like there used to be on Saturday nights. And I’m sure my blood thirsty friends would enjoy them as I will when, or if, it happens.” T. Amalfigano, NSW.

“To that Canberra pensioner (Viewpoint, 6 January 1979) who wants another commercial channel! Please point out to her the rubbish we have in Sydney with four channels. Tennis, cricket, cricket, tennis. I am a pensioner in bed with one leg in plaster. I would like to see the people who run these stations spend time in hospital or in an old people’s home and look at this trash. So tell her Canberra is no worse off.” ‘Pensioner’, NSW.

What’s On (February 3-9):Another week of cricket with World Series Cricket on GTV9 on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and One Day International on ABC on Saturday and Sunday. With school going back in various states, ABC’s schools programming resumes between 10.00am and 2.30pm weekdays.

Also for kids is This Week Has Seven Days on HSV7 on Saturday afternoon. This week’s show includes David Johnston examining the history and background of the ancient city of Athens and Honor Walters‘ careers segment features optical mechanics.

Daytime show The Mike Walsh Show returns for another year, and GTV9‘s drama double, The Young Doctors and The Sullivans (pictured), are returned to their normal 6.00pm and 7.00pm timeslots for the 1979 season. Game show Family Feud is settled back into its 5.00pm timeslot.

The new comedy series Doctor Down Under (based in the British Doctor In The House series) begins on HSV7 on Monday night, and The Naked Vicar Show returns featuring cast members Noeline Brown, Kevin Golsby, Ross Higgins, Colin McEwan, Laurel McGowan and guest stars John Farnham and Linda George.

Sunday night movies are The Mad Bomber (HSV7) and The Fox (ATV0). GTV9 has World Series Cricket through to 10.30pm.